COVID-19: Saudi Arabia enters new phase in virus war

Commitment is the key to safety, says minister

Dubai: Saudi Arabia will announce a new phase for the gradual return to normal life on Thursday, Saudi Health Minister Dr Tawfiq Al Rabiah said on Monday.

“We will soon move into a new phase of its efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the kingdom, the minister said.

The upcoming phase depends on two indexes: the kingdom’s capacity to treat critical cases, and the policy of expanding the scope of COVID-19 tests for the early detection of infections, Saudi Health Minister Dr Tawfiq Al Rabiah said on Monday.

“The kingdom will gradually implement the upcoming phase as of Thursday, until resuming to normal conditions within a new concept based on the social distancing rule,” Dr. Al Rabiah said.

He added: “We will move from one phase into another as of Thursday, according to an accurate health assessment that helps us speed up out steps to review and amend our approach when needed.”

The minister thanked Saudi citizens and expatriate residents for their awareness and adherence to precautionary measures and social distancing instructions.

“Everyone need to wear facemask covering nose and mouth when leaving their homes…Commitment is the key to safety,” the minister said, urging people to abide by safety rules and precautionary measures.